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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "father padua" <fatherpadua@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: revjkpadua@praize.com
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 09:54:13 -0500
Subject: DEAR BRETHREN

DEAR BRETHREN

GREETINGS TO YOU IN THE NAME OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

MY NAME IS REV. O'BRIEN - JOHN PADUA , I AM 65 YEARS OLD,
I AM FROM DUBLIN, THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND PRESENTLY, I AM THE CATHOLIC
ARCHBISHOP (EMERITUS) OF LOME DIOCESEIN TOGO THOUGH NOPW RETIRED AFTER I WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH A TERMINAL AILMENT. EVER SINCE, I HAVE BEEN HELPINGTHE
ORPHANS IN THE ORPHANAGES/MOTHERLESS HOMES,
REFUGEES IN WAR TORN COUNTRIES AND CAMPS ACROSS THE WORLD: EUROPE, THE
MIDDLE-EAST AND AFRICA IN PARTICULAR.

I HAVE DONATED SOME MONEY AND FOOD AID TO REFUGEE CAMPS AND ORPHANAGES IN
SUDAN, SOUTH AFRICA, CAMEROON, BRAZIL, SPAIN, AUSTRIA AND GERMANY. IT IS SAD
TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I BECAME ILL RECENTLY FROM CANCER OF THE PROSTATE.
BEFORE I GOT ILL I HAVE SOME MONEY WHICH WAS RAISED BY ME AMOUNTING TO (8.6
MILLION US DOLLARS) EIGHT MILLION, SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN A BANK
HERE IN TOGO. THE FUND IS SAFE I HAVE BEEN USING THIS BANK FOR OVER SIX
YEARS BECAUSE THEIR REPUTATION AND SERVICES OF PRIME QUALITY.

I AM PRESENTLY IN THE EYADEMA NATIONAL HOSPITAL LOME WHERE I AM UNDERGOING
CHEMOTHERAPY AND CONVALSCENCING BUT WITH LITTLE HOPE OF SURVIVAL. i AM
LOOKING FOR AN HONEST GOD FEARING MAN OR WOMAN( WHO IS NOT RELIGION, RACE OR
TRIBE DISCRIMINANT) WHO I WILL BEQUEATH THIS MONEY TO WHO WILL AGREE
IRREVOCABLY TO CARRY OUT THIS WORK OF ALMS GIVING, VOCATION TRAINING AND AID
GIVING WHEN I DIE WHICH IS A CERTAINTY. I WILL BE HAPPIER DIYING KNOWING
THAT MY WORK WILL BE CONTINUED AFTER MY DEATH AS A LEGACY.

PLEASE IF YOU CAN HELP REPLY ME IMMEDIATELYSO THAT I CAN MAKE YOU MY NEXT OF
KIN AND CUSTODIAN. I WILL GIVE YOU THE DETAIL OF HOW THE MONEY WILL BE
DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE ORPHANAGES. I AM OFFERING YOU, YOUR ORGANISATION OR
MINISTRY 15% OF THE TOTAL SUM OF THE MONEY 5% IS FOR ANY EXPENSES INCURED.

MAY ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR CONGREGATION/FAMILY.

YOURS IN THE LORD,

REV OBRIEN JOHN PADUA.

N.B: YOUR URGENT RESPONSE WILL ENABLE ME GIVE YOUR DATA TO THE SECURITY
COMPANY. MY LORD HAS ALREADY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD FIND A TRULY AND WORTHY
PERSON WHO CAN CARRY OUT THIS SOUL SURVIVING TRANSACTION.


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